Method and Apparatus to Facilitate Determining Proper Placement of a Liquid

ABSTRACT

One provides ( 101 ) a plurality of one-way degassing valves ( 202 ) that are to be installed on corresponding containers and places ( 102 ) a viscous liquid (such as silicon oil) ( 205 ) in each of the plurality of one-way degassing valves to provide a corresponding plurality of installable one-way degassing valves ( 208 ). These teachings then provide for automatically and non-destructively determining ( 103 ), prior to installation of these valves on the corresponding containers, whether the viscous liquid has been properly placed. 
     By one approach, this can comprise using a captured image ( 210 ) of at least a portion of each such one-way degassing valve to make this determination.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates generally to one-way degassing valves as areemployed to facilitate the degassing of container contents.

BACKGROUND

Some containers contain contents that naturally emit gas. Ground coffeebeans are one example in this regard as ground coffee beans can exudecarbon dioxide for days or even weeks following being ground. Such aprocess can lead to various problems as the result of an undue build-upof pressure within such a container. One-way degassing valves aretherefore often employed to permit such gasses to be automaticallyremoved from within the container. One-way degassing valves are offered,for example, by Plitek, LLC of Des Plaines, Ill. The interested readercan learn more regarding such valves by studying U.S. Pat. No. 7,178,555entitled Pressure Relief Valve, the contents of which are fullyincorporated herein by this reference.

Such one-way degassing valves are often comprised of layers of asuitable plastic sheet material where one of the layers has ahole/aperture formed there through and another layer having narrowchannels formed therein. When sufficient pressure builds up in acorresponding container, the atmospheric contents of the container pushoutwards on an outer surface of the one-way degassing valve (havingentered via the aforementioned hole/aperture) and this in turn permitsthe atmospheric contents to be evacuated via the aforementioned narrowchannels. At some point, this internal atmospheric pressure isinsufficient to retain the outer layer of the valve in this extendedposition and the outer layer returns to a position that blocks thedescribed access to the channels.

As noted, such one-way degassing valves are known in the art. It is alsoknown in the art to dispose a small amount of silicon oil (often incombination with some selected amount of graphite material) in the valveitself to enhance the functionality of the valve (including,specifically, instigating the “one-way” nature of its behavior). Withthe right amount of oil placed in the right location, the efficacy ofthe one-way degassing valve is considerably enhanced. Unfortunately,assuring that these placement requirements are met can be challengingand typically involve destructive testing of the one-way degassingvalve. In particular, assuring the efficacy of oil placement in such aone-way degassing valve in a production setting that includes theinstallation of such valves can be particularly challenging.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above needs are at least partially met through provision of themethod and apparatus to facilitate determining proper placement of aliquid described in the following detailed description, particularlywhen studied in conjunction with the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 comprises a flow diagram as configured in accordance with variousembodiments of the invention;

FIG. 2 comprises a block diagram as configured in accordance withvarious embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 3 comprises a schematic top plan depiction of a captured image asconfigured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention; and

FIG. 4 comprises a schematic top plan depiction of a captured image asconfigured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures areillustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily beendrawn to scale. For example, the dimensions and/or relative positioningof some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative toother elements to help to improve understanding of various embodimentsof the present invention. Also, common but well-understood elements thatare useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are oftennot depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of thesevarious embodiments of the present invention. It will further beappreciated that certain actions and/or steps may be described ordepicted in a particular order of occurrence while those skilled in theart will understand that such specificity with respect to sequence isnot actually required. It will also be understood that the terms andexpressions used herein have the ordinary technical meaning as isaccorded to such terms and expressions by persons skilled in thetechnical field as set forth above except where different specificmeanings have otherwise been set forth herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Generally speaking, pursuant to these various embodiments, one providesa plurality of one-way degassing valves that are to be installed oncorresponding containers and places a viscous liquid (such as siliconoil) in each of the plurality of one-way degassing valves to provide acorresponding plurality of installable one-way degassing valves. Theseteachings then provide for automatically and non-destructivelydetermining, prior to installation of these valves on the correspondingcontainers, whether the viscous liquid has been properly placed.

By one approach, this can comprise using a captured image of at least aportion of each such one-way degassing valve to make this determination.So configured, and by making an automated comparison of each suchcaptured image with comparison image data representing both acceptableand unacceptable placement of the viscous liquid within the one-waydegassing valves, it becomes possible and feasible to make thisdetermination for each and every one of the installable one-waydegassing valves (even at very high production-setting speeds).

Those skilled in the art will understand and appreciate that suchteachings are applicable in both an original manufacturing setting (whenthe one-way degassing valves are first manufactured) and in anapplication production setting (when the one-way degassing valves areinstalled on the aforementioned containers). These teachings are readilyleveraged using existing technology (such as existing image capturedevices and so forth) and will, no doubt, also readily accommodatefuture improvements in these regards. It will also be appreciated thatthese teachings are highly scalable and can be beneficially applied inconjunction with a variety of differently sized one-way degassing valvesas well as one-way degassing valves having a variety of form factors.

These and other benefits may become clearer upon making a thoroughreview and study of the following detailed description. Referring now tothe drawings, and in particular to FIG. 1, an illustrative process thatis compatible with many of these teachings will now be presented. Thoseskilled in the art will recognize and appreciate that this process 100can be carried out at the time of manufacturing the one-way degassingvalves or at essentially anytime thereafter. For the sake of example butwith no intent of suggesting any limitations in this regard, it will bepresumed for the remainder of this description that this process 100 isbeing carried out at a point of usage; i.e., at a one-way degassingvalve installation platform such as one finds in a coffee packagingfacility.

This process 100 includes the step 101 of providing a plurality ofone-way degassing valves that are to be installed on correspondingcontainers (such as ground coffee containers made or metal or plasticmaterials) to thereby facilitate later automatic degasification of thestored contents of those containers. By one approach, and referringmomentarily to FIG. 2, this can comprise using a feeder 201 to providethe plurality of one-way degassing valves 202. This can comprise, ifdesired, feeding a web or strip of such valves 202 from a correspondingroll 203 of one-way degassing valves in accordance with well understoodpractice in this regard. In this illustrative example, it will bepresumed that these one-way degassing valves 202 are being provided withtheir holes/apertures oriented upwardly though other orientations couldbe accommodated if desired.

Referring now to both FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, this process 100 also includesthe step 102 of placing a viscous liquid 205 in each of the plurality ofone-way degassing valves 202 to provide a corresponding resultantplurality of installable one-way degassing valves 208. Those skilled inthe art will understand that these valves can now be considered“installable” because of the inclusion of the viscous liquid 205 in thevalves. A liquid placement fixture 204 can serve to place a drop of theviscous liquid 205 in this manner. If desired, a vacuum 206 can be usedto provide suction 207 that in turn pulls on the opposing side of thevalves to facilitate entry of the viscous liquid 205 into the valves.

For many purposes, the viscous liquid 205 can comprise silicon oil. Thiscan be pure silicon oil if desired, but many application settings willbenefit from using a silicon oil mixture. For example, when employedwith ground coffee containers, a mixture of graphite and silicon oil canprovide particularly efficacious results. For example, it is known touse a ratio of about 1.5 grams of graphite to about 1 gallon of siliconoil for these purposes.

The liquid placement fixture 204 provides a metered amount of theviscous liquid 205. Notwithstanding that modern equipment to effect suchfunctionality is capable of high precision (with respect to the quantityof liquid dispensed, the timing of such dispensation, and the placementof the liquid), as noted earlier, it is possible for the viscous liquidto be improperly placed in a given instance. This can occur when theplacement parameters become uncalibrated for whatever reason, because aparticular one-way degassing valve itself is somehow faulty, and soforth. This process 100 therefore also provides the step 103 ofautomatically and non-destructively determining for at least some of theplurality of installable one-way degassing valves (and preferably foressentially all of these valves) whether the viscous liquid has beenproperly placed. By one approach, this process 100 effects this step 103prior to installation of the inspected valve on a correspondingcontainer.

As used herein, it will be understood that the expression “properlyplaced” can refer to both placing an appropriate amount of the viscousliquid in the valve (i.e., an amount that is neither too much nor toolittle) as well as placing the viscous liquid such that the liquidoccupies a proper location within the one-way degassing valve. In manycases, a failure in either of these regards (i.e., that the viscousliquid is either not fully present at a particular location or that theviscous liquid is not present in the appropriate amount) can be viewedas a failure to properly place the viscous liquid in the one-waydegassing valve as the latter may not operate as desired followinginstallation of the one-way degassing valve with respect to acorresponding container.

By one approach, and referring again to FIG. 2, this determination canbe based, at least in part, upon using a captured image 210 of at leasta portion of a given one-way degassing valve. An image capture device209 can be employed to capture these images 210. Various devices willsuffice in these regards with digital cameras being particularly wellsuited for many application settings. As one particularly useful thoughnon-limiting example in this regard, an Omron F210S1 digital camera willserve well in an industrial application setting for these purpose. Thecaptured images 210 can be monochromatic, ordinary full color, orenhanced/modified color as desired (with a particular selection in thisregard often depending upon the particular image processing platformsoftware/engine to be employed).

This process will readily accommodate using one or more light sources211 to direct light 212 towards the image subject. By one approach, thiscan comprise disposing one or more of the light sources 211 between theimage capture device 209 and the installable one-way degassing valve forwhich an image is to be captured. As one specific but non-limitingexample in this regard, the light source 211 can comprise an indirectlight source such as an LFV2-50D light source as manufactured by CCSAmerica, Inc. as is provided by Omron. Such a light can aid, forexample, in facilitating capturing a useful image of the installableone-way degassing valve. For some purposes, this light 212 can comprisevisible light. If desired, however, this light 212 may comprise, whollyor partially, shorter or longer wavelengths of light to suit, forexample, illumination characteristics of the viscous liquid and/or theone-way degassing valve itself.

If desired, this step would accommodate capturing a plurality of imagesof each one-way degassing valve in order to permit a comparison betweensuch images. This might involve, for example, capturing one image usingone wavelength of light and another image using a second, differentwavelength of light. As another example, this might comprise capturing afirst image when the one-way degassing valve is at a first location anda second image when the same one-way degassing valve is at a second,different location.

As noted, this step of determining whether the viscous liquid has beenproperly placed can occur in an application setting where the one-waydegassing valve is to be installed on a container within a short time(for example, within a few seconds or in less than a second) of when theviscous liquid is placed within the valve. In such an applicationsetting, then, this process 100 will accommodate making thisdetermination regarding proper placement of the viscous liquid within afew seconds (or less) of the viscous liquid having been so placed. Asone specific but non-limiting example in this regard, this process 100will accommodate capturing the aforementioned image within three to fivevalves of when the viscous liquid 205 is dispensed by the liquidplacement fixture 204. In such a case, the image capture device 209 willbe placed only a very few centimeters away from the liquid placementfixture 204.

Such a process will of course benefit from capturing the aforementionedimage of the one-way degassing valve at an appropriate time (i.e., whenthe valve is well within the field of view of the image capture device209 and preferably when the valve is specifically at a particularlocation therein, such as when the valve is itself centered within thisfield of view). Such precision can serve to ease and simplify the taskof processing the image to access the proper placement of the viscousliquid. To aid in this regard, a valve position sensor 213 can serve toreceive the installable one-way degassing valves 208 and to sense, forexample, the leading and/or trailing edges of the individual valves asthe web bearing these valves passes therethrough. Such a sensor, forexample, can pass a light through the web and use a light sensitiveelement to detect such edges as they pass through the valve positionsensor 213. As one non-limiting example in this regard, such a valveposition sensor 213 can be comprised of two pass-through fiber opticcables that are coupled to an Omron E3Z amplifier that provides thecorresponding trigger signal to the image capture device 209.

As these valves tend to be placed with considerable precision on such aweb, it can then be relatively simple to determine when a trailingone-way degassing valve is properly within the field of view of theimage capture device 209 by monitoring the present location of a leadingvalve via this valve position sensor 213. It would also be possible tomake such a measurement from a point earlier in the process (such asbetween the insertion of the liquid and the capturing of the image) ifdesired.

In this illustrative example, a control circuit 213 operably couples tothe aforementioned image capture device 209 in order to receive andprocess the captured images 210 and make the corresponding decisionregarding proper placement of the viscous liquid with respect to theone-way degassing valve. This can comprise, for example, automaticallycomparing the captured image with one or more models and/templates thatdepict acceptable and/or unacceptable images. To illustrate this point,FIG. 3 presents an example of what an appropriate amount of anappropriately placed viscous liquid will look like in such a capturedimage 210. In particular, the outer periphery 301 of the viscous liquidwill be quite visible and will appear as a complete or substantiallycomplete circle, oval, or the like. With reference to FIG. 4, is onepossible example of an improperly placed drop of viscous liquid willoften appear as having a substantially incomplete periphery 401 (such asless than a seventy-five percent complete periphery).

Those skilled in the art will recognize and appreciate that such acontrol circuit can comprise a fixed-purpose hard-wired platform or cancomprise a partially or wholly programmable platform. As one specificbut non-limiting example in these regards, the control circuit cancomprise an Omron F210C10 ETN. All of these architectural options arewell known and understood in the art and require no further descriptionhere.

Such a control circuit can be configured (via, for example,corresponding programming as will be well understood by those skilled inthe art) to carry out or otherwise facilitate one or more of theaforementioned steps, actions, and/or functionality. This canspecifically include receiving the aforementioned captured images in acompatible digital format of choice and automatically inspecting thoseimages to assess whether the viscous liquid has been properly placed. Asnoted, such an assessment can comprise, in whole or in part, acomparison of at least portions of a given captured image with one ormore comparative models/template images or datasets to determine howwell, or how poorly, the given captured image compares with an exampleof a properly placed and/or a non-properly placed viscous liquid.

By one approach, if desired, this control circuit 213 can operablycouple to a memory 214. This memory 214 can serve to store, for example,the aforementioned comparative models/templates and/or the programmingused by the control circuit 213 to carry out the described actions. Thismemory 214 can also serve, if desired, to store one or more of thecaptured images. By one approach, this can comprise each and every suchcaptured image. By another approach, this can comprise only storingcertain selected captured images (such as a selected periodic sample oronly those captured images that evidence improperly placed viscousliquid). Such stored images can be useful for archival purposes, forauditing purposes, for maintenance and troubleshooting purposes, and soforth.

Generally speaking, and referring again to FIG. 1, this process 100 cansimply provide for continuing to make the described inspections so longas the inspections yield benign results. A variety of actions may beconsidered, however, at such time as when one of these inspectionsdetects a one-way degassing valve having improperly placed viscousliquid. By one approach, and again generally speaking, this process 100can optionally include a step 104 that comprises responsively providinga corresponding signal. The precise nature of this signal can vary withthe requirements and/or opportunities as tend to characterize a givenapplication setting.

For example, by one approach, this signal can comprise an alarm signalthat causes a local alarm 215 to be actuated in order to attract theattention of authorized personnel. By another approach, alone or inconjunction with the above, this alarm signal can be transmitted (forexample, via an intervening network 216 such as, but not limited to, theInternet) to actuate a remotely located alarm (such as an alarm in asupervisor's office within the facility that houses this valveinstallation platform, in an alarm monitoring station in anotherbuilding, or the like). These alarms can make use of any desiredmodality including audible alarms, visual alarms, and so forth.

By another approach, this signal can prompt the control circuit 213 tolog the event and to store that information in the memory 214. Thisapproach can serve to store data regarding the detected event topotentially help with subsequent maintenance, troubleshooting, and/orequipment/process calibration efforts.

As yet another approach in these regards, this signal can comprise acontrol signal that directs one or more of the valve installationplatform components to be adjusted and/or brought to a halt. Forexample, by one approach, the control circuit 213 can be directly orindirectly coupled to the feeder 201, the liquid placement fixture 204,and/or other components as may pertain to the overall process to therebyfacilitate bringing the line to a halt upon detecting an improperlyprepared one-way degassing valve As another example, the control circuit213 could provide an instruction that causes the faulty valve to beskipped without otherwise causing the valve installation line to bebrought to a halt.

By one approach, any or all of the above-described actions can be takenupon detecting a single one-way degassing valve having an improperlyplaced viscous liquid. If desired, this process 100 can be renderedsomewhat more tolerant of an occasional such aberration. To illustrateone illustrative example in this regard, this process 100, upondetecting an improperly placed viscous liquid, can (at step 105)increment a count of such events. The process 100 can then, at step 106,determine whether this aggregate count exceeds some predeterminedthreshold value T (where T will be understood to comprise an integerhaving a value of one or larger). For example, when T equals three, thisprocess 100 will tolerate the detection of three valves havingimproperly placed viscous liquid before providing the aforementionedsignal.

When using such an approach, if desired, the aforementioned count can bereset to zero (or some other predetermined amount) on some regular basis(such as daily, once an hour, once every five minutes, or such otherperiod of time as may suit the needs of a given application setting). Toillustrate, and where T equals three, this process 100 would be tolerantof three improperly provisioned valves for each such cycle of time. Morethan three such events within the given cycle of time, however, wouldprompt provision of the aforementioned signal.

It would also be possible to select from amongst the aforementionedpossibilities as a function of the measured degree by which a giveninspected valve has improperly placed viscous liquid. To illustrate byway of a non-limiting example, when even a single viscous liquidexhibits a periphery that appears to be more than twenty-five percentincomplete, the production line could be brought to a halt and acorresponding alarm sounded. Valves, however, which exhibit a peripherythat is between about twenty-five percent and ten percent incompletecould trigger a different approach; in this case, the process couldpermit installation of the valve but maintain a corresponding count. Ifand when that count exceeded some predetermined threshold (within, forexample, some predetermined window of time such as one hour), then theprocess could again react by bringing the installation line to a halt.

Those skilled in the art will recognize and appreciate that theseteachings are highly flexible and provide various ways of assuring thatone-way degassing valves can be quickly and reliably inspected todetermine whether an adequate quantity of, for example, silicon oil hasbeen appropriately placed within those valves prior to installation ofthose valves on containers. This inspection is carried out withoutdestroying the valve or otherwise interfering with installable valve,even during operation of a high speed packaging line where such valvesmay be processed at rates of once per second, once per half second, onceper each tenth of a second, and faster. Those skilled in the art willfurther recognize and appreciate that these benefits can be attained byleveraging commonly available industrial components and without unduecost.

Those skilled in the art will recognize that a wide variety ofmodifications, alterations, and combinations can be made with respect tothe above described embodiments without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention, and that such modifications, alterations, andcombinations are to be viewed as being within the ambit of the inventiveconcept.

1. A method comprising: providing a plurality of one-way degassingvalves to be installed on corresponding containers to thereby facilitatethe degasification of contents of the containers; placing a viscousliquid in each of the plurality of one-way degassing valves to provide acorresponding plurality of installable one-way degassing valves;automatically and non-destructively determining for at least some of theplurality of installable one-way degassing valves, prior to installationon the corresponding containers, whether the viscous liquid has beenproperly placed
 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the contents of thecontainers comprise coffee.
 3. The method of claim 2 wherein the coffeecomprises ground coffee.
 4. The method of claim 1 wherein providing theplurality of one-way degassing valves comprises providing a roll ofone-way degassing valves.
 5. The method of claim 1 wherein placing aviscous liquid in each of the plurality of one-way degassing valvescomprises placing silicon oil in each of the plurality of one-waydegassing valves.
 6. The method of claim 5 wherein placing silicon oilin each of the plurality of one-way degassing valves comprises placing amixture of silicon oil and graphite in each of the plurality of one-waydegassing valves.
 7. The method of claim 1 wherein automatically andnon-destructively determining for at least some of the plurality ofinstallable one-way degassing valves, prior to installation on thecorresponding containers, whether the viscous liquid has been properlyplaced comprises making this determination within a few seconds ofhaving so placed the viscous liquid.
 8. The method of claim 7 whereinmaking this determination within a few seconds of having so placed theviscous liquid comprises making this determination within one second ofhaving so placed the viscous liquid.
 9. The method of claim 8 whereinmaking this determination within one second of having so placed theviscous liquid comprises making this determination within one halfsecond of having so placed the viscous liquid.
 10. The method of claim 1wherein automatically and non-destructively determining for at leastsome of the plurality of installable one-way degassing valves, prior toinstallation on the corresponding containers, whether the viscous liquidhas been properly placed comprises determining whether an appropriateamount of the viscous liquid has been properly placed.
 11. The method ofclaim 1 wherein automatically and non-destructively determining for atleast some of the plurality of installable one-way degassing valves,prior to installation on the corresponding containers, whether theviscous liquid has been properly placed comprises determining whetherthe viscous liquid is occupying a proper location within the one-waydegassing valve.
 12. The method of claim 1 wherein automatically andnon-destructively determining for at least some of the plurality ofinstallable one-way degassing valves, prior to installation on thecorresponding containers, whether the viscous liquid has been properlyplaced comprises using a captured image of at least a portion of the atleast some of the plurality of installable one-way degassing valves. 13.The method of claim 1 wherein automatically and non-destructivelydetermining for at least some of the plurality of installable one-waydegassing valves, prior to installation on the corresponding containers,whether the viscous liquid has been properly placed comprises makingthis determination for substantially all of the plurality of installableone-way degassing valves.
 14. The method of claim 1 further comprising:upon determining that the viscous liquid has not been properly placedfor at least a predetermined number of the plurality of installableone-way degassing valves, providing a corresponding signal.
 15. Themethod of claim 14 wherein the predetermined number comprises the numberone.
 16. An apparatus comprising: a feeder configured and arranged toprovide a plurality of one-way degassing valves to be installed oncorresponding containers to thereby facilitate the degasification ofcontents of the containers; a fixture configured and arranged to place aviscous liquid in each of the plurality of one-way degassing valves toprovide a corresponding plurality of installable one-way degassingvalves; a control circuit configured and arranged to automatically andnon-destructively determine for at least some of the plurality ofinstallable one-way degassing valves, prior to installation on thecorresponding containers, whether the viscous liquid has been properlyplaced.
 17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the feeder comprises, atleast in part, a roll-based feeder.
 18. The apparatus of claim 16wherein the viscous liquid comprises silicon oil.
 19. The apparatus ofclaim 18 wherein the viscous liquid comprises a mixture of silicon oiland graphite.
 20. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the control circuitis configured and arranged to automatically and non-destructivelydetermine for at least some of the plurality of installable one-waydegassing valves, prior to installation on the corresponding containers,whether the viscous liquid has been properly placed by making thisdetermination within a few seconds of having so placed the viscousliquid.
 21. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the control circuit isconfigured and arranged to automatically and non-destructively determinefor at least some of the plurality of installable one-way degassingvalves, prior to installation on the corresponding containers, whetherthe viscous liquid has been properly placed by determining whether anappropriate amount of the viscous liquid has been properly placed. 22.The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the control circuit is configured andarranged to automatically and non-destructively determine for at leastsome of the plurality of installable one-way degassing valves, prior toinstallation on the corresponding containers, whether the viscous liquidhas been properly placed by determining whether the viscous liquid isoccupying a proper location within the one-way degassing valve.
 23. Theapparatus of claim 16 further comprising: an image capture device thatis configured and arranged to capture an image of at least a portion ofat least some of the plurality of installable one-way degassing valves;and wherein the control circuit is operably couple to the image capturedevice and is further configured and arranged to automatically andnon-destructively determine for at least some of the plurality ofinstallable one-way degassing valves, prior to installation on thecorresponding containers, whether the viscous liquid has been properlyplaced by using the image as captured by the image capture device. 24.The apparatus of claim 23 further comprising: a light disposed betweenthe image capture device and the installable one-way degassing valve forwhich an image is to be captured to facilitate capturing a useful imageof the installable one-way degassing valve.
 25. The apparatus of claim16 wherein the control circuit is further configured and arranged to,upon determining that the viscous liquid has not been properly placedfor at least a predetermined number of the plurality of installableone-way degassing valves, provide a corresponding signal.